preparation

Roast the Corn for the Guacamole

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Put the corn kernels on the baking sheet and toss with the oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste. Spread the corn out evenly on the baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, until the corn turns a golden brown. It may seem that you have left the corn in the oven for too long, but you want the corn to caramelize and get a little crunchy. Remove the corn from the oven and set aside.

Prepare the Corn for the Soup

Put the kernels (fresh or frozen and defrosted) in a blender.

Combine the oil and the garlic in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeño. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until the vegetables are soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to the blender and puree until smooth. (You may need to pulse or stir the corn mixture in order to achieve a smooth consistency, but do not add any more liquid.)

Simmer the Soup

Pour the corn puree into the soup pot and place over medium heat. Stir constantly for a few minutes, until the soup begins to thicken. Slowly whisk or stir in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, decrease the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.

Finish the Roasted Corn Guacamole

In a bowl, combine the roasted corn, red onion, cilantro, lime zest and juice, and jalapeño. Gently stir in the avocado. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve and Garnish

Ladle the soup into soup bowls. Place a generous spoonful of the guacamole in the center of each bowl. Garnish with a small sprig of cilantro placed in the center of each.

INGREDIENTSFrozen corn
If you are using frozen corn, measure the amount needed before defrosting.

TECHNIQUERemoving Corn Kernels
I find that the easiest way to do this is to work with the corn in a horizontal position and essentially slice four sides off of the ear of corn. You will need a large chefís knife. Place the corn on a cutting board lengthwise in front of you and position the tip of your knife blade on the top right side of the corn then slice off the entire right side. To help avoid cutting into the cob, place your blade one kernel in from the edge. Rotate the ear of corn clockwise and repeat with the remaining three sides.

Roasting Corn
Roasting corn not only caramelizes the naturally present sugars, it also intensifies the flavor of the corn. Twenty minutes is the average time it takes to get the corn to that state, but donít be afraid to leave it in a bit longer. Even if some kernels appear burnt, they will be deliciously crunchy and pop in your mouth.

ADVANCE PREPARATION
The soup can be made a day in advance, cooled, and stored in the refrigerator. However, it is best to make the corn guacamole a few hours before you are going to eat it.